'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎271] (448/524)

VISIT TO THE WANIKA COUNTRY.
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and Colonel Hamerton in consequence no more considered it safe for
us to remain, * * * and as if his voice had not been loud enough
to call us away from a people who had no wants beyond their cattle
and their toddy, a member of the Committee of our Society, the
late Admiral Trotter, was to come just at the right moment, and he
not only urged our immediate departure, but offered to take us at
once to the Cape in his own ship. * * * We quitted the place,
which after all had become very dear to us, on the 22nd of January
1857* Scarcely had we left, when the terrible hordes of the Massai
overran the whole country down to the sea shore, killing whomsover
they found in their way, and carrying off in one day all the cattle of
the Rabbai territory. Thus our poor deluded people, who to abject
ignorance had added arrogance and cattle pride, were now deeply
humbled, and herein I even then saw a star of hope for them, and I was
not deceived. * * * We were however first to go to Zanzibar,
where we would await further instructions from home. * * *
After a stay of about half a year we intended to leave for Europe, and
thus to human eyes, the East African Mission seemed to have come to
an end. But there was soon to be a better resurrection. * *
I had taken with me the only Wanika who had attended on our regular
instructions and had learnt to read. In September he went home to
look after his family, and on Christmas-day he came back again, bringing
with him a new convert, and the cheering statement that others only
waited our return, when they too would become Christians. In the
year following I paid another visit to the place, and the sight of a little
band of converts, as well as the general joyous welcome I received, left
no doubt in my mind that, instead of going back to Europe, we must first
come back to a people who had now learnt to appreciate what before
they had treated with contempt. In April 1859 * ' l ' we returned
again. The house at our station * * * was then still standing, but
the rainy season, which had set in, kept us at Mombassa, where at the
same time I had to repair our town house, which during our absence
had been used by the Government for a garrison of Arab soldiers,
who of course left it in a very deplorable condition. The rainy season
was a very severe one, and caused another misfortune in the downfall
of our house at Kisalidini. * * >lC
“ One small portion, though dilapidated, was still standing, over which
a temporary roof was made in the native style, but the lepaiis and